The Best Time of Year to Visit 5 of America’s Most Popular Destinations

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There comes a point where we all need a vacation. But determining exactly where to go—and when to plan your visit—requires a little legwork on your part, particularly if you’re looking to save a few dollars. For those of you getting ready to plot out an upcoming getaway, it’s never too early to start considering your options. Below are the best times to visit five of America’s most popular destinations, presented by Mental Floss and Discover.

1. New York City

New York City may have a reputation for being a pretty pricey destination, but it doesn’t have to be—as long as you know where to look, and when to visit. While the weather is at its loveliest during the fall (from late September to early November), if you can handle a bit of humidity, there are deals to be had during the summer months—July and August in particular—even though they are some of the city’s busiest.

Though it may sound counterintuitive, spending a weekend in the City That Never Sleeps can be one way to save some coin, as the many business travelers who regularly visit the city tend to clear out before the weekend hits. Plus: With its range of parks, outdoor movie venues, free concerts, street fairs, and never-ending stream of things to do, you’ll find plenty of ways to experience all the culture the city has to offer without breaking the bank.

2. Maui

There are a lot of factors to consider when booking a trip to Hawaii: If you plan to spend the bulk of your time outdoors (it is Hawaii, after all), your best shot at a rain-free retreat is to visit between April and September. However, hurricane (or cyclone) season lasts from June to November, and peaks in August. And July is the state’s most popular month for tourists—meaning that both flights and hotel rooms are at a premium. For the best mix of idyllic weather, fewer rainstorms, fewer tourists, and great deals on pricing, mid-September and October can offer the most bang for your buck.

3. Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas no matter when you decide to pay a visit. But if you want to feel like you’ve got Sin City all to yourself, planning a midweek trip (ideally between Tuesday and Thursday) is one smart way to do just that, as the city is a prime weekend destination year-round. Las Vegas is also an extremely popular spot for business conventions—the city hosts more than 20,000 of them each year, the largest of which can significantly drive up hotel prices—you’d be smart to check the tourism bureau’s online calendar of conventions and tradeshows to make sure you’re not descending on the city at the same time as 20,000 insurance salespeople or cosplayers. Once you’ve done that, try targeting your trip for March through May or September through November, when the weather tends to stay below 100 degrees.

4. Chicago

Summertime is festival time in Chicago—which means that it’s also one of the most popular times to visit the Windy City. But as home to one of the world’s busiest airports, which services a handful of low-cost airlines, finding a deal on a flight is never too much of a challenge. Though June and July flight tend to command the highest ticket prices, the difference in price between a flight in May or September might be less than $50 on a round-trip flight. Just plan to book your flight at least two weeks ahead. While the outdoor activities quiet down a bit in August, that’s the best time to get a deal on a hotel room in the warmer months (a three-star hotel will run you about $230 per night). If your ideal vacation is more about top-notch museums, restaurants, and shopping, consider a September visit, when the weather is still warm but not stifling—and the beach is still just a quick stroll or taxi ride away.

5. New Orleans

If you’re not bothered by heat and humidity, and want to have the Big Easy all to yourself, a summer trip in July, August, or September will be the easiest on your wallet. Though the city itself can be muggy, with temperatures hovering around the 90-degree mark, there are plenty of cool deals to be had: To encourage summer visitors, many hotels will not only drop their prices but throw in extras like a complimentary breakfast or free parking. In order to beat the heat, you can also plan your days around the weather—putting indoor activities on your daytime itinerary, and venturing outdoors once the sun sets and it gets cooler. If your main objective is to get a taste of New Orleans’s most famous restaurants, August is the city’s annual restaurant month where the most popular NOLA eateries will let you chow down on a three-course brunch or lunch for less than $20 and three-course dinners for $39 or less.

Knowing when to travel is half the battle, the other half is how to finance your trip there. The Discover it® Miles Card will earn you 1.5X miles for every dollar spent on purchases and those rewards never expire. Plus, at the end of your first year, Discover will match all the miles you’ve earned automatically, which you can put towards another awesome vacation. Visit Discover.com/Travel to learn more!

This Smart Accessory Converts Your Instant Pot Into an Air Fryer

If you can make a recipe in a slow cooker, Dutch oven, or rice cooker, you can likely adapt it for an Instant Pot. Now, this all-in-one cooker can be converted into an air fryer with one handy accessory.

This Instant Pot air fryer lid—currently available on Amazon for $80—adds six new cooking functions to your 6-quart Instant Pot. You can select the air fry setting to get food hot and crispy fast, using as little as 2 tablespoons of oil. Other options include roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, and reheat.

Many dishes you would prepare in the oven or on the stovetop can be made in your Instant Pot when you switch out the lids. Chicken wings, French fries, and onion rings are just a few of the possibilities mentioned in the product description. And if you're used to frying being a hot, arduous process, this lid works without consuming a ton of energy or heating up your kitchen.

The lid comes with a multi-level air fry basket, a broiling and dehydrating tray, and a protective pad and storage cover. Check it out on Amazon.

For more clever ways to use your Instant Pot, take a look at these recipes.

At Mental Floss, we only write about the products we love and want to share with our readers, so all products are chosen independently by our editors. Mental Floss has affiliate relationships with certain retailers and may receive a percentage of any sale made from the links on this page. Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication.

The 5 Best Financial Gifts You Can Give Yourself This Holiday Season

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Between the gifts, parties, and other obligations of the holiday season, it might seem like smarter financial choices will have to wait. But just because you’re spending a little more than usual doesn’t mean you can’t put your financial planning into sharper focus. To help you get started, here are the best financial gifts you can give yourself this holiday season to prepare for a great 2020 and beyond, presented by Discover and Mental Floss. There are small steps you can take immediately to give your finances a boost, like using the Discover it card, which rewards you on every purchase you make with the card. And then there’s long-term planning, like retirement funds, that will help solidify your financial future.

1. Learn how to budget your money.

Plenty of people set spending limits on home expenses, entertainment, clothing, and other expenditures. But sometimes, these amounts need adjusting, especially as life and financial situations change over time. Consider sitting down at the end of the month and examining where all of your money went—from there you can spot unnecessary spending and find ways to fix it.

2. Take advantage of your credit card rewards.

Cash back, mileage, or promotional interest offers—credit cards offer a variety of incentives, but not everyone takes the time to analyze the offers. Don’t let free money pass you by—look into what rewards programs your card offers and take advantage of these financial gifts that are just waiting for you. With the Discover it card, for example, you can earn rewards on every purchase you make. Plus, Discover matches all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year! It’s unlimited, too, so those weekly coffees you’re trying to fit into your budget can be paid for by money you’ve already earned. Learn more at Discover.com/match.

3. Evaluate your insurance coverage.

Some of us secure home or car insurance and then never think about it again. It’s better to assess your coverage periodically to make sure you’re financially protected for things that are important and consider gap coverage if your policy is lacking. It’s better to spend a little more in policy premiums now than be hit with an unforeseen hardship later. Alternately, you might find your premiums can be lowered owing to a new home improvement project, like new water pipes or an updated roof.

4. Start a retirement plan.

Don’t fall into the trap of putting off retirement savings until you snag a salary increase or reduce expenses. Every year you fail to feed a 401(k), IRA, Roth IRA, or other nest egg means one less year you’ll accrue in your pursuit of saving for life after work. Remember that your employer may offer matching and tax-deferred options for diverting some of your income. Don’t wait for the “perfect” time to learn how to start a retirement fund—the sooner, the better.

5. Save for big purchases.

It can be hard to save money—it involves careful planning, a realistic strategy, and most importantly, cutting back a bit. But the benefits far outweigh the negatives. So if you don’t have one already, set up a savings account this holiday season and start putting some money away every month. It doesn’t even have to be you that does it—ask your bank or employer’s payroll department if they can set up an automated process to save the money for you. So next time you have your eye on a big trip or want to buy a new 4K television, you’ll have a nest egg waiting to pay for it. And big purchases lead to big cashback bonuses, so be sure to take advantage whenever you can.

You can take one step to financial stability with the Discover it® Card—which automatically matches all the cash back you earn, dollar for dollar, at the end of your first year. Learn more at Discover.com/match.